Ahead Of The Michael Jackson Biopic, Spike Lee Shared A Sweet Take On The Late Singer

Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic will bring strong reminders to fans of what an iconic musician the King of Pop was. Many talented artists were fortunate enough to collaborate with Jackson and witness firsthand how he dominated the music game. In the lead-up to Michael's release, Spike Lee, who directed one of the late Grammy winner’s music videos, shared a sweet take on the late singer.

Back in 1996, Spike Lee directed Michael Jackson’s music video for “They Don’t Care About Us.” Since the award-winning director was known for his socially relevant movies, “Bad” singer felt like Lee was the perfect man for the job. With the Michael biopic around the corner, Lee took to Instagram to share a throwback photo as well as his take on why Jackson was more than a music maker:

It’s true that Michael Jackson was more than a singer. He brought audiences to their feet with his outstanding choreography, plot-heavy music videos and songs featuring strong messages. “They Don’t Care About Us” communicated to the world the struggles that minorities were dealing with. By shouting in the air and stomping his feet in defiance, Jackson channeled anger and solidarity into a protest that allowed listeners to feel. Under Lee’s direction, it was the ultimate empowerment music video.

Spike Lee would certainly know a “prophet” when he sees one. That's because Lee's most iconic characters are modern-day truth tellers in their own right. Do the Right Thing’s Mookie had no problems calling anyone out on stereotypes of minority groups, and that forced the audience to see the horrors of racial injustice. Lee’s Malcolm X sees the titular freedom fighter dedicate his life to social change for Black people. As Michael Jackson used music to shed light on prejudice, Lee couldn’t ignore the profound social effect the legendary performer’s music had on the world.

With that in mind, there are many things fans like to see in Antoine Fuqua’s Michael, like Jackson's early struggles in the music industry and his attempts to put together his breakthrough solo album, Off the Wall.

While the first trailer showed Jackson throughout the years, I’d like to also see the behind-the-scenes accounts of what went into the production of his most famous music videos. Each one was epic in scale, complete with intricate dance sequences and special cameos. Highlighting how these musical moments were created would perfectly emphasize what a once-in-a-generation artist he was.

In the meantime, it seems Spike Lee feels fortunate to have known and worked with Michael Jackson and to have been able to discover what a “prophet” he was. Through the power of music and film, the two pushed society to confront injustice, and I'm appreciative of them doing it.

Fans can see Michael, which opens in theaters on April 24th as part of the 2026 movie schedule.